National Cruise Vacation Month
October is the month to plan your next cruise — here is what the month is and how to make the most of it.
Start Planning: Free Cruise QuotesOctober Is the Cruise Industry’s Planning Month
National Cruise Vacation Month is the name the cruise industry’s trade association, CLIA (Cruise Lines International Association), gave to its month-long celebration of cruise travel. For years it was held in February; in 2005 CLIA moved it to October, so travel advisors and travelers would have a dedicated month to focus on planning cruises before the busy winter booking season. The campaign has since been promoted under other names, including National Plan a Cruise Month, but the idea has stayed the same: autumn is a smart time to plan your next voyage.
This site explains what the month is, why the autumn months work so well for cruise planning, and how to use October to line up the right ship, cabin and dates. It does not publish deals of its own. For live promotions from the cruise lines, see WaveSeason.com, which gathers current offers in one place.
Why Plan a Cruise in October?
Next year is on sale
By autumn, lines have usually opened bookings for the following year’s Alaska, Europe and Caribbean seasons, so the full choice of ships and dates is in front of you.
Why autumn works →
Fall cruises are sailing now
October is itself a lovely month at sea, from Canada and New England foliage voyages to shoulder-season Europe.
Fall foliage cruises →
A head start on winter
Planning in October leaves time to compare options before Wave Season promotions arrive in the new year.
October to Wave Season →Use the Month Well: A Simple Plan
October has 31 days, and you do not need all of them. A few focused steps are enough to go from “we should take a cruise” to a booking you are happy with:
- Week 1: decide when you can travel and roughly where you want to go.
- Week 2: choose the style of ship and the cabin type that suits you.
- Week 3: request quotes and compare the total cost, not just the fare.
- Week 4: book, then add insurance, flights and pre-cruise hotels.
Our October cruise planner walks through each step in more detail.
What This Month Is — and Isn’t
National Cruise Vacation Month is a promotional and educational campaign, not a sale with a fixed set of discounts. In some years the industry and individual lines have run consumer sweepstakes, special offers or events with travel agencies during October; in other years the focus has been on training travel advisors. What is available changes from year to year and line to line.
CLIA’s own campaign has also changed shape over the years: in 2005 it centered on travel agency events such as a nationwide cruise night, while in 2015 it featured an online sweepstakes and encouraged travelers to book through certified cruise specialists. Outside North America, CLIA’s Australasia region still runs a branded October Cruise Month each year.
So be wary of anyone promising a guaranteed “October price.” The reliable approach is to know what you want, get quotes for specific sailings, and compare them with current offers on WaveSeason.com and the savings guides at Cruising for Less. Our cruise advisors at Mister Cruise do exactly that for every request.
Who Is Behind This Site
National Cruise Vacation Month is part of the Smart Traveler network, led by Mister Cruise. He has sold travel since 1972 and worked full-time in the industry since 1977. He has sold or originated more than $500 million in cruises and has trained more than 500 travel agents.
When you ask for a quote, our cruise advisors at Mister Cruise handle it personally — not a call center — and book everything for you. Meet Mister Cruise →
Make This the Month You Plan Your Cruise
Tell us when and where you would like to sail. Our cruise advisors at Mister Cruise will turn your ideas into real sailings and price them free.
Start Planning: Free Cruise Quotes